This is an entry that is 50% about one flaw of our culture that is a proven fact and 50% about how much it really costs to buy a car. This is for you sunghi79. I will reveal all the information of prices on various cars i looked into while i shopped for 2 months. But i will begin with my rantings. And it is long. Let me tell you one thing i have noticed since high school that differentiates koreans and americans. Koreans are too into the trend, too materialistic, brand conscious. Especially at a young age ( and fobs), they have no idea what it means to buy a car, maintain the car, and value the car. All they care about is the looks and the price and the brand. Why is that so? How many koreans that you know drive a benz, bmw, lexus when they are in the 17-25 year age group. Can they really afford this? Also, do they take care of the car that costs this much? They drink and drive, dont do oil changes, park like an idiot, drive the car like a maniac and just kill the engine. I dont think they ever get a car wash either and/or the interior is all fucked up and dirty. Why buy a $50,000 car when u drive it like its a used car on the inside? Americans drive cars they can afford and is within their price range and what THEIR ABILITY ALLOWS THEM to. Americans OWN HOMES, have GOOD CREDIT, and drive practical cars for their families, or to just drive to work. Every korean i see these days drives a freakin benz or somethin. See the difference? How many koreans you know drive a chevy cobalt or a nissan sentra? NADA. And the thing that makes me sick is, its worse today then the days i was in high school. And the way people get stereotyped just by the type of car you drive or whatnot, its plain pathetic and i do not want to associate with people like that. Ive been thinking there are 4 types of koreans that buy nice cars (nice cars meaning over 35k). #1. they work in a freakin warehouse 6 days a week 10 hrs a day but want to spend all their money on a nice car to get a girl, look cool, cover up for the amigo-like work he or she does. #2. they make alot of money. maybe $3000 to $5000 a month after taxes. spend 1500 a month on car and another 1000 on rent and eat ramyun and stay home watching video all day just to look nice the one time a month they take their car out. #3. Parents spoiled em. This is one major problem with our generation. Our parents, 90% of the ones i know at least, sacrificed their lives to work for us. Their not even that rich. they just have cash cuz of the business they own. Laundromats, grocery stores, nail salons, etc. Tough cash minded jobs dealing with idiots and crooks all day. then they go out and buy their kid a freakin new audi A4 right out of high school. ???????????? DOES THAT MAKE SENSE TO YOU? #4. Pre-certified owned cars. Buy nice cars at cheaper rates. Its like i got a NEW USED car but you dont know that. Just me. To you it looks new, and its BMW X5 so its alrite. its all about the image. I have had 3 cars my entire life. 90' Nissan Maxima, 04' mazda rx8 and now my new 06' pathfinder. I would never have gotten my rx8 until my maxima which i drove for 9 years got into a major car accident and i had to put it to rest. The only reason why i got the rx8 was i was actually there ready to sign for the mazda3 when negotiations broke down. They had a better lease program of 24 months, 0 down and $320 a month on the rx8 for a 28k car. Here is the thing guys when it comes to buying cars. NEVER EVER pay DOWN PAYMENT. WHY? because that only helps THEM in negotiations. there is no REASON to put money down. you can still get the monthly payment you want as soon as you show them you want to buy the car and that you are ready to walk out if not given what you want. i only payed 8k for my rx8 in monthly payments and my residual was 15k. Also, NEVER EVER pay more then 500 dollars of inception fees. you can actually get it down to 300. they fucking bullshit you that they need to do it for the motor vehicle and license fees, some other fees,YADA YADA YADA. make sure included in that $400 or 500 is your FIRST MONTH Payment and ALL FEES INCLUDED. it CAN BE DONE. IVE DONE IT TWICE ALREADY. obviously you need great credit to back you up on all this or they tag on little money here and there RIGHT before signing. There are 4 Tiers of credit and u need a score of around 610 at least to sign for the car yourself. i personally had a 740 rating so no questions were asked. So here is the bottom line. There were 2 cars i really loved, just the sheer design of it. Audi A4 and Range Rover. Both are out of my price range? Why? Audi A4 the most basic model is a 40k car. with packages, can go upto 50k. Audi under the same negotiations i did came out to around 450 a month at best, 0 down, 500 at signing for a 40k car. with options easily 500 a month (sunroof, bose speakers, leather, etc) But insurance was 2k a year so tag on another 170 a month plus 250 on gas. So in actuality, this is a car worth 900-1000$ a month to maintain. how many people i know do this? very few...i ask wat insurance company they use and they dont even know... In conclusion, $1000 a month on an audi, $1000 rent per say, 1000 on food, expenses, savings, phone and credit card bills, etc. How many 17-22 yr olds i know make even 3000 a MONTH? very few...a friend i heard just came out of NYU stearns makes 60k a year. if you are that type of person, this topic doesnt refer to you. If you are the latter, where you pay half and your mommy pays half or u just pay monthly and not anything else, THEN ITS NOT YOUR CAR. WHEN YOU PAY FOR EVERYTHING LIKE OUR PARENTS DO FOR THEIR CAR, THEN IT IS YOUR CAR. I just want to say, koreans out there, especially those FOBS, its about being real man. Live true, and to your standards and abilities. Dont talk like your da shit and you have a nice car, alot of money, when your not a HUMANE person. keep to yourself and stop following others, and try to lead the next generations to a better example of what it means to be a korean-american and most importantly, a good person. | 
